Not so Quiet
by Belle Charzar 19
Summary: Set after Edward leaves and goes a different path after that. I'm not really sure where it's going yet; I just have an idea in my head that I can't seem to let go of yet. Rating is just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Don't own anything! Not quite sure where I want the story to go or even if I'll continue it after I get the main idea in my head out. If I continue it's because I actually have another idea for it. Thanks for reading! **

**Also, sorry if you don't like kind of OOC Bella, I really hate how pacifist she is, so I'm changing it. The change could have happened if she'd really thought about Edward and how much bull he really pulled with her. I probably didn't need to justify it, but I did so whatever. Take it or leave it. :)**

_Bella POV_

I wake up from another nightmare. This is getting old; it shouldn't be so crazy! Something has GOT to change; he's probably never coming back. He said so himself a month ago!

I wrap my arms around myself to hold it together. I eventually pull it together enough to go to the bathroom and get ready for the day. After my hair is dried and brushed, I stare at it long and hard.

Something has to change... Edward loved my hair... It's got to go.

I rush into my room and pull out a pair of scissors. I braid my hair back and pause, I don't want it to be uneven or anything. I look out the window and see that Dad's cruiser is still in the driveway. I can ask Charlie to do it for me, so it'll be straight and even. I cautiously go down the stairs, scissors in hand.

"Dad?"

"Over here, Bells." I look over and see him sitting in his recliner looking confused at the scissors in my hand.

"Hey, do you have a later shift or something?" I continue on my way to him. He nods as I sit on the floor in front of him.

"Uh, Bells? What-"

I pass the scissors to him as I speak, "Would you cut my hair? I want it to be even, or I'd do it myself. Just do it right at the top of the braid." Once he takes them from my hand, I gesture to where the braid actually starts.

"Sure, I can do that, why do you want me to though?"

I stare forward without speaking for a moment, pondering how to answer while ignoring the awkwardness of the silence. "It's time for a change. I don't want to move or anything crazy, but... I need something to change." I take a deep breath still resolutely staring at the wall in front of me, "I can't keep stagnating like this; it's making me crazy."

Dad gives me shoulder a little pat as he says, "Okay, I get it; I really do. Whatever I can do to help, please tell me." I can hear the small, pained smile in his voice. I know this hasn't been easy on him at all. He starts cutting the braid, and my shoulders tense up. I've always had long hair, so this will be a drastic change. After a few moments, I feel him double checking to make sure it's all even before he sighs, "All done. I think it looks nice." When I look at him, he's smiling.

"Thanks Dad. Does it really look okay?" I run my hands over the ends in wonder at its length- or rather its shortness. It comes to just below my ears.

"Yeah, it looks great, different- definitely- but great." He looks at his watch, "Well, it's time for me to go now; just let me know if you need anything else, yeah?"

"Yeah, sounds good." I smile back at him, still in shock. He leaves as I start breakfast for myself.

At school, I have people staring again; I sigh and ignore them for now.

As I set at the lunch table later, Angela sits next to me, "Hey, your hair looks great." I give her a genuine smile for the first time in a month. She never stopped trying to get me to talk to her.

"Thanks, I just wanted a change." Her eyes light up with understanding.

"Do you want to dye it? Or get highlights? Or lowlights? Actually, I think red toned lowlights would look really good."

I think for a moment, "Yeah, yeah that sounds great. Do you know how to do that?"

"Oh yeah! My Mom does this kind of stuff all the time! Do you want to come over tonight?" I nod. She pauses before quietly saying, "I'm glad you're back Bella."

"Me too." I smile. The rest of the day goes smoothly, I leave Dad a note on the table telling him where I'll be before heading over.

After they give me red toned lowlights, I look in the mirror, satisfied at the change I see. I eat dinner with her and her parents before we watch a movie and head back. When I get home, I walk into the house, and Dad just stops and stares for a moment. "It looks really nice; I love your hair."

"Thanks Dad! Are you going fishing tomorrow like normal?" I stop at the base of the stairs to hear his response.

"Yeah, with Billy and Harry."

"Have fun! I might go down to La Push for awhile."

"Okay, have fun." I smile in response.

The next morning, I sleep in since it's Saturday before I finally get up. I go to a large box that I had stored under my bed pretty much as soon as I got here and not touched. I put it on my bed and open it to check the materials inside. Yep, a few canvases, a foldable stand for the canvas, clean brushes, a water bottle, a cup, a sketchbook, some graphite pencils, a small handheld pencil sharpener, and a bunch of different paints are all still inside, untouched since I moved here.

I close the box back up and haul it out to my truck before buckling it into the passenger seat. I drive down to the La Push beach and take the box with me to the sand. I haven't drawn or painted in awhile, so it might take some work. I sit on a large piece of driftwood with the box on my lap before pulling out a pencil and the sketchpad. I start tracing the beach on the page and sigh contentedly. I lose track of time and soon enough my stomach gives a loud gurgle before I laugh, pack up, and head back. I got a lot of detail sketched, but I definitely want to go back. Just next time, I'll bring sandwiches!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Don't own anything! Not quite sure where I want the story to go or even if I'll continue it after I get the main idea in my head out. If I continue it's because I actually have another idea for it (and apparently positively encouraged haha). Thanks for reading!**

**I was extremely surprised by the positive feedback that I've gotten for this and so quickly! Wow thanks, you guys! I've never had that many people respond to something I've written that quickly. It was like 4 people! In a day! It was incredibly flattering, so I wanted to extend a huge thank you! :) ****I'm updating probably a lot sooner than it would have been due to the positive feedback.**

**asiajoanna7334 - Thank you; I'm glad you love it so much! Hope this is soon enough- haha, Can't promise to be this fast all the time though! Thank you for reading and all! :) (There should be periods in your username, but for some reason, when I put it correctly, it will delete your whole username except for the numbers! So, not knowing which would actually be better... I guessed! Hope it's okay.)**

**Missysue32 - Thank you; me too! Now I just need to write it lol**

**Msmalloryreads- Me too! (haha obviously, since I wrote it- I realized this was obvious after I typed it, but decided to leave my honest first response anyway) I hate the wimpy "I'm hopeless and can't do anything without a guy" Bella so much haha. It's really annoying and honestly cringy. To think, I was like "this is so romantic" as a pre-teen... Adult me sees real cause to be concerned about it haha- so I'm fixing it, in my opinion anyway. I personally almost fell into a cringy relationship, so I kinda feel passionate about it haha**

**tinus84- Thank you! Me too haha I need to actually continue it; I have a few ideas for scenes. I just sometimes struggle with getting the middle ground haha. Thank you; I really appreciate that you like it that much. Hope you like it!**

**PS I guess people like a stronger Bella! That's cool. Also super long A/N... haha. I have good peppy music to keep me inspired too. It's a good day. Hope your day is good too.**

**PPS I realized I should explain this after I had already started writing- the italics mean the purposeful talking stuff the wolves do in their heads whilst phased. Everything else going on in their heads is also heard by the rest of the pack that are phased at the same time, but I would think that generally, people would be polite and ignore these things unless specifically directed out like a question or something, so unless the person who's perspective it is actually wants to or accidentally ****pays attention to whatever****, it won't be listed for the other characters.**

_Paul POV_

I hear a loud engine rumbling in the distance while I'm on my Saturday patrol while Sam finishes up his last lap before turning in.

I hear Sam, _That sounds like Isabella Swan's truck._

_What's the leech lover doing here?_

_She's welcome here anytime. Her Dad's respected here and is practically family to Harry and Billy. _

_Fine, whatever. _Ugh, that's so annoying; she's just a pathetic leech lover.

_She's really been messed up over it. It was a bad break up for her. Don't do anything hurtful. _I see what he sees, and what I have seen in his mind a few times since the day he rescued her in the woods. She does look extremely pitiful. I sigh. _Seriously, don't do anything, Paul. I'm telling you. _

_Yeah, fine._ He phases out. I decide to go see what she's doing since I can tell she didn't go to the Black's, and that's the only reason I can think of for her to be here. Huh, it seems like she went to the beach. Hmm.. How can I see what she's up to without breaking my patrol? I can't just go up to her a giant frickin' wolf. I could swing up over the cliffs; with our eyesight, I should be able to see what the heck she's doing from there.

After a few minutes, I stand tall and still at the top of the cliff while the winds blows my dark silver fur in all directions, and I'm again grateful that Sam forces everyone to cut our hair after we transform, even if it sucks sometimes. I focus in on where I can smell her from and am surprised at her. She looks different; what's different? Her hair! Huh, it actually looks nice. I shake my head, focus Paul. She's hunched in on herself? No, she's leaning over something and scribbling; infuriatingly, I can't tell what she's leaned over. I can't tell if she's writing, coloring, or drawing. Ugh- now I just want to know. I huff quietly before softly padding to the edge of the cliff where I can see the lower cliff ledge below me and jump down onto the tiny ledge just barely jutting out from the cliffside on the side facing her.

Once here, I can tell that it seems that she's drawing. I see her look up and over to her right, away from me, for a pondering moment, seeming to just be taking in the horizon, before she goes back to scribbling. I guess that means she's drawing the beach. I should go before she looks left and sees a giant wolf on the cliffside.

I quietly bunch myself up before jumping up to the higher ledge and manage to get my forepaws over and scramble with my back ones to get up there and sprint to the treeline before she notices. After a few moments, I poke back out to check on her, and she hasn't moved at all. I guess it was quieter than I thought. I bound back into the woods to start my patrol again.

She really looked beautiful with the sunshine shining red through her hair. Gah, Paul, she's just a leech lover! I forcefully shake myself to get rid of that thought. I'm really glad no one else is phased in right now. Jared will take over this afternoon; until then, my thoughts are all mine.

I have to stop myself from checking on her when I hear the thundering of her truck leaving the rez. Since I know Jared will be phasing in soon, I force these thoughts from my head.

_Hey Paul, my man. How was patrol today?_

_That leech loving Swan girl has been here for most of the day. _Darnit! I didn't mean to say that. _She just left._

_Huh, that's interesting. Why was she here?_

_I dunno. Look I've only got a few more patrol laps around the rez before I phase out; did anything interesting happen today?_

_Nah, same old, same old. Kim made muffins and left them at Emily's house to share if you want some._

_Course I want some! _Dude, now I need to finish a lot faster. I hear Jared's laughter as I pick up my speed.

Over the next few months, every single Saturday, Bella Swan comes to the rez and draws. I've even seen her painting sometimes; I've never gotten closer again since that first day so I don't know what she's drawing or painting. It's been every single week, only on Saturday, that she comes and does... art. I guess. It's now January this all started in October. She's here now, and it's not Saturday. Why?

I'm not phased; I'm just chilling in my house. Oh, she's gone to the Black house. Sam's told us to keep and eye on him and Quil since they're likely to phase soon. However, I've noticed that Embry Call looks like he's showing the signs too, but I don't want to mention it because of the implications of that. I wonder who is Dad is; if he phases... that will become a complicated question. I don't want to deal with that, so I'll just let it happen as it will. I wonder if Sam or Jared has noticed too and just none of us want to deal with the implications.


End file.
